Drill pipe float valve



Nov, 4, 1958 D. scARAMucci DRILL PIPEFLOAT VALVE v3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNOV. 10,- 1955 FIG. l.

I INVENTOR DOME'R SG'AIIAMUGG/` BY M ATTORNEYS NOV 4, 1958 I D.scARAMUccl 2,858,838

DRILL PIPE FLOAT VALVEr Filed Nov. l0, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

FIG. .4.

INVENT OR DOMER SGAHAMUGGI BY M vwd/(@due ATTORNEYS NOV- 4, 1958 D.scARAMucl `2,858,833

FIG. 8.

00m-R scARAMz/cc/ INVENT OR ATTORNEYS United States Patent() DRILL PIPEFLOAT VALVE Domer Scaramucci, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application November 10, 1955, Serial No. 546,236

Claims. (Cl. IS7-454.2)

This invention pertains to drill pipe iloat valves adapted for use inthe drill pipe string for a rotary well-drilling operation. Such floatvalves are ordinarily incorporated in the lowermost portion of the drillstring in the drill collar section. For this purpose provision is madewithin the lower end of the drill collar and immediately above the drillbit for receiving the float valve and accommodating its reciprocatingoperation.

The presently known and used drill pipe float valves have failedadequately to meet certain conditions and operating problems encounteredin well drilling. The principal problem is -occasioned Iby prematurefailure of the float valve in effecting a seal, either as the drill pipeis run in the hole, or while the string is on bottom, and mostfrequently during pulling of the drill string. In the last-mentionedinstance the results are entrance of bore hole fluid into the drillstring and overflowing onto the drilling rig floor. As the drill stringis elevated, the drilling uid -or mud gravitates down the drill stringbore, through the oat valve, and into the bore hole. When stops are madeduring the upward movement of the drill string in order to unscrewuppermost joints, the float valve, when operating properly,checks-re-entrance of the drilling mud and prevents spilling over as adrill pipe joint break-out is made. Although splashing of workers can bealleviated through the use of a mud guard consisting of a split cylinderstructure that is swung into position around the drill string as jointsare unscrewed, such use of a mud guard is definitely objectionable.

The most prevalent causes of oat valve failure are: fluid abrasion ofthe reciprocating valve body and its seat; failure of cup seals betweenthe float valve body and the drill string bore; failure of the valvebody to move into engagement with its seat due to san-d particlescausing sticking of the valve stem in its guide member; and failure of aset screw for the valve guide that is intended to hold the guide duringsaid condition of valve sticking, thus permitting the valve stem guideto be pulled upward with the stern during valve seating movement andmaking it possible for the stem to work out of an insertion slot in aguide housing.

The principal objects of this invention are, therefore, to provide a oatvalve of the type indicated with a stem guide member that will assurepositive closure, and a valve and seat construction that will provideincreased flow area and so reduce restriction.

An important specific object of the invention is to provide a oat valvehaving a valve ste-m guide member that while conned laterally is free tomove upwardly with the closure member of the rvalve in the event thatthe valve stem has become stuck to the guide member.

A further specific inventive object is to provide a float valve of anovel construction that makes it impossible for the valve stem, thevalve stem guide member, or the valve closure member to become displacedout of operative position after it has been inserted in the recess ofthe drill collar and the drill bit has been screwed thereon.

Another specific object resides in the provision of a valve seat memberand a valve sealing head member combination that is constructed andarranged to avoid metal-to-metal sealing engagement by utilizing anauxiliary rubber-like seal element.

Mice

These and other objects of the invention contributing to dependabilityin use for long periods and under adverse conditions will be more fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section of a drill collar and a threadedlyconnected drill bit incorporating the float Valve of this invention,with the valve member shown in open ilow position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section corresponding to that of Fig. l except thatthe valve member has moved to a full flowfcl-osing position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the drill pipe float valveassembly;

Fig. 4 is another vertical section of the valve assembly of Fig. 3 takenat right angles to the section plane of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal `sectional View of Fig. 4 taken on line VI-VI;

Fig. 7 is a side perspective View partially sectioned of the lowerportion of the valve guiding and restraining means in assembledrelation; and

Fig. 8 is a similar side perspective view of the valve guiding andrestraining means of Fig. 7 in partially separated relation.

It will be observed in Figs. 1 and 2 that a drill collar 10 has a drilllbit 12 threaded into the lower end thereof so as to retain a floatvalve assembly 14 within an enlarged cylindrical recess 16 formed in thelower end of the drill collar 10 and closed at its lower end by theattached drill bit 12. The valve assembly 14 fits closely within thecylindrical recess 16 with its uppermost end abutting an upper flangesurface 18 formed as a shoulder of the recess portion 16. An annularinner end surface 20 of the drill bit 12 provides a corresponding lowerflange surface for supporting the valve assembly.

A principal component of the essentially metal'valve assembly 14 is acage 22, which is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as comprising a pair ofoppositely disposed vertical members 24, 24 integrally joined with upperand lower cylindrical rings 26 and 2S respectively, and a separablevalve stern guide member 30. The stem guide member 30 includes inunitary integral relation a pair of oppositely extending radial arms 31,31 projecting 'from an upwardly extending bushing or bearing sleeve 32having a central vertical bore 34 (Figs. 7 and 8).

With specific reference to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown a valve stern36 carrying a metal valve member 38 of mushroom type secured lby aninterengaging valve stem head portion 40. A resilient valve seal 42 ofrubber-like material extends downwardly Ifrom the valve member 38 and isformed with an outwardly diverging and tapered flared skirt 44 receivinga bored valve follower member 46 through which the valve stem 36 passes.The lower end of the follower member 46 is reduced to provide a shoulder48 that seats and retains one end of a coil spring 50 looselysurrounding the valve stem 36 and having its other end on externallyshouldered lower portion 52 of the stem guide 30.

With further reference to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be observed that theupper cylindrical ring 26 of the cage assembly has a lower inner surface54 that is downwardly and outwardly tapered so asvcomplementally toreceive the outer peripheral surface of the valve seal 42 and pass theadjacent lower portion of the valve member 3S. The upward movement ofvalve member 38 is even more positively limited by threecircumferentially spaced inwardly projecting lugs S6 having lowersurfaces engaging the adjacent surface of a valve 38.

A slot formation 58 extends from the top of each lug S6 to the upper endof the upper ring 26 to provide accommodation for a baie or spiderdevice (not shown) that isA used to catch and position recordinginstruments dropped down the drill string during the course of drilling.

The outer peripheral surface of the upper ring 26 is formed with a pairof vertically spaced side seal rings 60, 60 set in respective annularrecesses 64 and 66 and having oppositely directed lips or short skirts68 for effectively sealing the iioat valve assembly against fluid flowother than through said upper ring 26.

It has been previously noted that the stem guide component 34B is notintegral with or positively joined to the cage 22. The manner in whichit is confined by the bore of the lower cylindrical ring 23 will now beexplained in detail. Considering Figs. 7 and 8, an arcuate nearlysemi-circular segment 70 is integrally joined midway its length to thefree end of each radial arm 31, and these segments are so constructedand arranged that their respective outer peripheral surfaces provide acylindrical surface continuation of the ring itself and of the j outercylindrical surfaces of the vertical members 24, 24.

The upper portion of the inner peripheral surface of each segment 70 isupwardly tapered for flow purposes and the lower portion of its outerperipheral surface is undercut at 72 for interitting with acorresponding annular, inwardly projecting shoulder or step formation 74formed in the inner portion of the ring 28. The adjacent ends of the twoarcuate segments 70, 70 are so spaced and arranged as to receive thelower portions of the vertical longitudinal members 24, 24 with moderatelooseness for assembly and detachment in a manner that will now bedescribed.

After the valve seal 42, the follower member 46, and the spring t) havebeen slipped on the valve stern 36, and followed by the guide 30, whichis moved up to compress the spring, this sub-assembly can then beslipped into the cage 22 as a unit. Fig. 8 indicates the path ofmovement to be taken in inserting or removing the stem guide 30, thatis, the guide being elevated above the lower ring 28, moved laterally,and turned so that an end portion of each segment 70 will partiallyembrace the outer surface of the adjacent one of the vertical or uprightmembers 24, 24. In its operative relation the stem guide member 39 isrestrained against all but vertical movement by abutment of the ends ofsegments 70 against the vertical members 24, 24, and the confinementprovided by the wall of the cylindrical drill collar recess 16. Thearcuate segments 7G, 7d are ordinarily in position to cover the ring 28and thereby protect it against abrasive wear. The interttiug of theshouldered portions ('72) and the upper edge portion (74) are adapted toprevent lateral movement when engaged.

The advantages of the novel drill pipe float valve of this invention areboth numerous and important. In

`actual field tests this valve has demonstrated outstanding superiorityover those hitherto in use and especially in `the elimination of anytendency of the valve to be held on the lower edges of segments 7G, 70are useful in pro-l viding rigidity of the float valve assembly duringhandling and shipping. Suthcient clearance is provided, however, betweenthe guide means and the drill collar wall to prevent sticking due towedging of said particles.

The metal valve member 38 does not come into closure engagement with themetal closure seat of ring surface `54, but instead the inwardlyprojecting lugs 56 engage the head portion of said valve so as to permitthe rubber valve seal 42 to do all the sealing without a metal-tometalengagement. A further purpose of the lug arrangement is to approximatenearly maximum bore area through this portion of the cage and thusreduce uid velocity and frictional losses, which arehigh in such floatvalves. Actual experience with the float valve disclosed in thisapplication has demonstrated that the reduction in frictional losses andabrasive wear is of such a high degree that said oat Valve will outlasttwo or more oat valves of previously available commercial constructionwhen operating under the same conditions.

While a preferred embodiment of the drill pipe float valve of thisinvention and the mode of utilizing the same have been described indetail, it is to be understood that changes can be made in theconstruction and arrangement of parts which would come within theprinciples of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A drill pipe float valve assembly comprising, an elongated cage ofcylindrical outline and having upper and lower cylindrical rings joinedby diametrically opposed vertical members, said upper ring having adownwardly and outwardly tapered valve seat formed in its inner endportion; a valve stem guide member disposed within the cage and having acylindrical external outline of the same diameter as that of the cage, acentral vertical bearing sleeve, spaced arms extending radially from thebearing sleeve, and an inturned cylindrical arcuate segment on the outerends of each arm, the adjacent ends of said segments being spaced anddisposed to receive the respective vertical members of the cage in loosesliding relation; a valve stem having an end portion sliding in thebearing sleeve; a valve member on the other end portion of the valvestem complementally engageable with the valve seat; and spring means onthe valve stern acting in opposition between the guide member and thevalve member.

2. For use in a drill pipe float valve, the sub-assembly comprising anelongated cage of cylindrical outline formed by upper and lowercylindrical rings connected by a plurality of spaced longitudinalmembers, the upper ring being formed with a downwardly facing valve seatsurface; a valve member with a stem disposed in the cage; and areciprocable central bearing sleeve for receiving the valve stem andhaving a plurality of arms extending outwardly therefrom and an arcuatesegment on the outer end of each arm adapted to be aligned with and toform a `continuation of the outer cylindrical surface of the lower ring,the adjacent ends of the segments being v spaced and disposed to receivethe respective vertical members in loose sliding relation.

3. For use in a drill pipe float valve, the sub-assembly comprising anelongated cage of cylindrical outline formed by upper and lowercylindrical rings connected by a plurality of spaced vertical members,the upper ring being formed with a downwardly and outwardly inclinedvalve seat surface; a valve member with a stem disposed in the cage; anda reciprocable central bearing sleevefor receiving the valve stemand-having a pair of arms extending outwardly therefrom, a cylindricalarcuate segment on the outer end of each arm adapted to be aligned withand to form a continuation of the outer cylindrical surface of the lowerring, the adjacent ends of the segments being spaced and disposed toreceive the respective vertical members Iin loose sliding relation.

4. For use in a drill pipe float valve, the sub-assembly comprising anelongated cage of cylindrical outline formed by upper and lowercylindrical rings connected by a plurality of spaced vertical members,the upper ring being formed with a downwardly facing valve seat surface;a valve member with a stem 'disposed'in the cage;

and a central bearing' sleeve for receiving the valve stem and having apair of arms extending outwardly therefrom, a cylindrical arcuatesegment on the outer end of each arm adapted to be aligned with and toform a continuation of the outer cylindrical surface of the lower ring,the adjacent ends of the segments being spaced and disposed to receivethe respective vertical members in loose sliding relation, and theadjacent surface portions of the arcuate segments and the lower ringhaving intertting portions for preventing relative lateral displacement.

5. A drill pipe float valve assembly comprising, an elongated cage ofcylindrical outline and having upper and lower cylindrical rings joinedby circumferentially spaced upright members, said upper ring having anoutwardly and downwardly tapered valve seat in its inner end portion andan upwardly and outwardly inclined surface in its outer end portion; avalve stem guide member of cylindrical external outline received withinthe cage and having a cylindrical outline of the same diameter as thatof the cage, a central vertical bearing sleeve, spaced arms extendingradially from the bearing sleeve, and an -inturned cylindrical arcuatesegment on the end of each arm, the adjacent ends of said segments beingspaced and disposed to receive the respective upright members of thecage in loose sliding relation; a valve stem having an inner end portionsliding Iin the bearing sleeve; a metal valve member mounted on theouter end portion of the valve stem and having a maximum diametercorresponding to the minimum inner diameter of the upper ring; aplurality of metal stop lugs extending in spaced relation around theinclined surface of said outer end portion in position to engage theupper surface of the metal valve member; and a downwardly and outwardlydiverging resilient 'valve seal mounted on the valve stem below themetal valve member and constructed and arranged to seal against saidtapered valve seat when the metal valve member abuts said lugs.

6. A drill pipe float valve assembly comprising, an4

elongated cage of cylindrical outline and having upper and lowercylindrical rings joined by circumferentially spaced upright members,said upper ring having an outwardly and downwardly tapered valve seat inits inner end portion and an upwardly and outwardly inclined surface inits outer end portion; a valve stem guide member of cylindrical externaloutline received within the cage and having a cylindrical outline of thesame diameter as that of the cage, a central vertical bearing sleeve,spaced arms extending radially from the bearing sleeve, and an inturnedcylindrical arcuate segment on the end of each arm, the adjacent ends ofsaid segments being spaced and disposed to receive the respectiveupright members of the cage in loose sliding relation; a valve stemhaving an inner end portion sliding in the bearing sleeve; a metal valvemember mounted on the outer end portion of the valve stem and having amaximum diameter corresponding to the minimum inner diameter of theupper ring; a plurality `of metal stop lugs extending in spaced relationaround the inclined surface of said outer end portion in position toengage the upper surface of the metal valve member, said upper ringbeing formed with a slot formation having the width of the lugsextending from the top edge of said upper ring to the top of each lug;and a downwardly and outwardly diverging resilient valve seal mounted onthe valve stem below the metal valve member and constructed and arrangedto seal against said tapered valve seat when the metal valve mem'berabuts said lugs.

7. In combination, a drill pipe oat valve of cylindrical outline adaptedto fit closely within a shouldered cylindrical space within a drillstring and to have its ends held against longitudinal movement therein,said oat valve comprising a cage of cylindrical outline and having anupper cylindrical ring and a lower cylindrical ring joined bycircumferentially spaced longitudinal members, the upper ring having avalve seat surface extending around its inner end portion; a centralvalve stern bearing sleeve having a plurality of outwardly extendingarms each with an integral cylindrical arcuate segment on the outer endthereof, the said segments being shaped and arranged to form parts ofthe cylindrical outline of the cage and to receive the longitudinalmembers in sliding relation therebetween; a valve stem carrying a valvemember on its upper end supported in the bearing sleeve; and springmeans yieldingly urging the valve member against the valve seat surface.

8. A drill pipe iloat valve assembly comprising, an elongated cage ofcylindrical outline and having upper and lower cylindrical rings joinedby circumferentially spaced upright members, said upper ring having anoutwardly and downwardly tapered valve seat in its inner end portion; avalve stem guide member of cylindrical external outline received withinthe cage and having a cylindrical outline of the same diameter as thatof the cage, a central vertical bearing sleeve, spaced arms extendingoutwardly from the bearing sleeve, and an inturned cylindrical arcuatesegment on the end of each arm, the adjacent ends of said segments beingspaced and disposed to receive the respective upright members of thecage in loose sliding relation; a valve stem having an inner end portionsliding in the bearing sleeve; a metal valve member mounted yon theouter end portion of the valve stem and having a maximum diametercorresponding'to the minimum inner diameter of the upper ring; aplurality of metal stop lugs extending in spaced relation around theinclined surface of said outer end portion in position to engage theupper surface of the metal valve member; and a resilient valve sealmounted on the valve stem below the metal valve memberand constructedand arranged to seal against said tapered valve seat when the metalvalvemember abuts said lugs.

9. For use in a drill pipe float valve, the combination comprising anelongated cage of cylindrical outline formed by an upper cylindricalring, a lower cylindrical ring, and a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced upright members extending therebetween, the upper ring having adownwardly and outwardly inclined valve seat surface extending from anintermediate inner portion thereof; a valve body member with a stemdisposed in the cage; and detachable valve stem guide means having acentral valve stem bore receiving said stem mounted within the cage -andhaving arcuate segments slidably receiving the upright members betweentheir adjacent spaced ends.

10. In a drill pipe iloat valve, the combination of an elongated cage ofcylindrical outline comprising an upper cylindrical ring with a valveseat formation on its inner end, a lower cylindrical ring, and anopposed pair of longitudinal members joining said rings; a valve bodymember mounted for reciprocal movement within the cage and provided witha central valve stem; and a valve stem bearing sleeve receiving saidvalve stem, mounted within the cage and having arcuate segments slidablyreceiving the longitudinal members between their adjacent spaced ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,014,775 Rothchild Jan. 16, 1912 1,297,312 Barker Mar. 18, 19191,767,538 Mahan June 24, 1930 1,860,004 Yardley May 24, 1932 1,944,770Svorcina Jan. 23, 1934 1,984,107 Barker Dec. 11, 1934 2,011,812 HatcherAug. 20, 1935 2,148,850 Deakins Feb. 28, 1939 2,192,670 Adkins Mar. 5,1940 2,473,591 Killner .Tune 21, 1949 2,477,720 Caserta Aug. 2, 19492,744,727 Osburn May 8, 1956 2,750,958 Barker June 19, 1956

